(b. Sacco, Trentino, May 28, 1883), Italian composer, studied a t first with Gianferrari a t Roveredo. In 1899 he went to Pesaro to complete his musical education a t the Liceo, which had then Mascagni as its director. Zandonai was given the diploma of composition in 1902. Boito, who met him in Milan, was struck by his early compositions and introduced him to the publisher Ricordi, who commissioned an opera. Zandonai wrote then his first work for the theatre, ' II grillo sul farolare ' (The Cricket on the Hearth), which was produced successfully a t Turin in 1908 and later a t Genoa and Nice. More clamorous was the success of his second opera, ' Conchita,' first produced a t the Dal Verme Theatre in Milan in 1911. ' Melenis,' a tragic opera (1912), and ' La via della Finestra ' a comic opera (1919), have not had equal good fortune ; but * Francesca da Rimini ' (on the tragedy of D'Annunzio), first given in 1914, holds a foremost place in the modem Italian repertory, and 1 Giulietta e Romeo' (Rome, Feb. 14, 1921) has been received with conspicuous favour by Italian audiences. ' I cavalieri di Ekebu ' (La Scala, Milan, Mar. 7, 1925) had also a favourable reception. A prolific composer, Zandonai has written also a Requiem Mass for voices (Rome, 1916); an album of melodies; a 1 Serenade ' for violoncello and small orchestra (1912); ' Our Father,' for chorus, organ and orchestra (1912); 'Ave Maria,'forvoicesandsmall orchestra; and other works. A ' concerto romantico ' for violin and orchestra was performed a t Rome (1921); a string qua rte t belongs to his early compositions. In 1919 Zandonai was made an Associate of the Royal Academy of St. Cecilia of Rome. The best operas of Zandonai show th a t characteristic flair for the theatre and for a dramatic situation which is so important a qualification for the operatic composer. He possesses, however, a rare skill in writing for the orchestra, and, like most modem Italians, he devotes the utmost care to the relations between word and music, with the result th a t the effect of the musical phrase is enhanced by the combination. These are qualities the n a t u r e o f w h i c h i n t h e t h e a t r e c a n n o t b e o v e r e s t im a t e d . F. B.